Plamondon Hospitality Partners, a family-owned hotel management company, operates 16 hotels under brands like Marriott, Hilton and IHG. Known for its people-first employee culture, Plamondon offers employees HR perks and benefits, such as free English classes, tuition reimbursement and rideshare support.
In late 2023, the company added Canary’s Digital Tipping to the list, and the impact has been significant. Since implementation, Plamondon has seen employee engagement climb and turnover fall significantly across their portfolio. The solution shows employees they are valued and contributes to a stronger workplace culture. We sat down with Ginger Trautman, Plamandon’s Talent Manager, to learn more.
Since implementing Canary’s Digital Tipping, employee engagement survey scores across Plamondon’s properties have risen to 84% — well above the hospitality industry average of 70%. In some properties, the effect is even more pronounced. One hotel saw engagement scores rise from 77% to 87% in a single year. At another, it jumped from 89% to a staggering 95%.
Ginger highlighted how Digital Tipping and Plamondon’s people-first benefits are making an impact. "Our associates appreciate being recognized and rewarded in real time. Canary’s Digital Tipping is helping us build a more engaged, motivated workforce."
Stronger employee engagement goes hand-in-hand with lower staff turnover. At one standout property, staff turnover fell 5-fold from 34% to just 7% year over year—a nearly unheard-of number in hospitality.
"We’re seeing engagement scores go up and turnover go down,” said Trautman. “Those trajectories are moving in the right direction, and Canary’s Digital Tipping is a meaningful part of that story.”
With hiring challenges plaguing much of the hospitality industry, Plamondon has managed to shrink its open hourly roles from its post-COVID all-time high of 83 to just six across all 16 hotels. The team credits their motivated workforce for reducing the constant churn typically associated with hotel operations.
"Six open roles across 16 hotels is huge," Trautman explained. "That number alone shows that people are staying. Canary’s Digital Tipping has helped us retain talent, and that’s cut down significantly on hiring and training costs."
While Digital Tipping is just one of Plamondon’s employee benefits, it’s a compelling offer in job interviews and daily operations. Digital Tipping is a key component of the company’s people-first strategy. It is helping general managers reward high achievers and giving associates the chance to earn more for great service.
"Canary’s Digital Tipping is a great selling point," Trautman said. "Any time I mention it in interviews, candidates perk up. It shows we care about helping our associates earn more and feel appreciated."
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